ESPN has just ordered up "Playmakers," a one-hour drama set in the world of professional football, from the writer-producer of "Alias," John Eisendrath.

"The series is a gritty ensemble drama about the off-field lives of a group of players on a pro football team and how they deal with the pressure of being in the NFL. Eisendrath, who played college football, penned the pilot and is set to write five or six more episodes."

I, for one, never saw the mega-hyped ESPN-produced "Junction Boys" (nor have I ever seen "Alias") so don't know what to expect from them (just how many commercials did they run for that?).

Link to story here.

Hard to tell. Alias is camp-filled thrill ride. Really fun show, but I think that is more a reflection of JJ Abrams than Eisendrath. The Junction Boys wasn't too bad...looked like The Godfather when compared with the Bob Knight movie ESPN did!

I think this just another indication that ESPN is moving away from airing actual sports in favor of sports-related entertainment shows. From bikini-clad models attempting to fish and X-game antics to "Around the Horn" and their game-show "Beg, Borrow, or Deal," the "worldwide leader in sports" is fast becoming the Lifetime Network for frat boys.

~Adam

I actually enjoy Around the Horn and PTI as at least they are discussing sports for the most part. Beg Borrow and Deal-no thanks. ESPn has to do something different when the TV audiences for most live sports broadcasts are shrinking. But a show like this at least sounds more interesting than billiards, bowling or poker, which are all fun to play but stupifyingly dull to watch.

[ April 04, 2003, 10:31 AM: Message edited by: George_vikingfan ]